a DC voltage or the other way around or both,” Gerhard explains.
By converting the electricity back and forth, these systems allow data centres to completely isolate their operations from the main power grid. This isolation is crucial for handling the erratic power demands of AI infrastructure. Gerhard notes that these systems can seamlessly handle the“ potential bursts of AI GPUs which are coming”. By combining advanced power electronics with localised energy storage, data centres can absorb or deploy power rapidly to smooth out sudden spikes.
“ The energy storage can either absorb or feed such a burst and then the other side of the power electronics converter doesn’ t see that disturbance anymore,” Gerhard says. This filtering function is exactly how technologies like STATCOM protect grid stability.
While STATCOMs manage localised power quality, HVDC systems solve a different piece of the puzzle by transporting large amounts of electricity over huge distances with almost no energy loss. datacentremagazine. com 29